Happy Chicks ... Happy Eggs ...

So, when my youngest son suggested getting some chickens after I complained about him eating 4 eggs pre/post the gym, I didn't expect him to turn up with them the very next day!

So now we have a black, a blue and a white hen all looking for names.

Somehow, I think the food will cost more than eggs from Waitrose!

Hens, Chickens, Ducks, Geese for sale ...

http://www.happychicks.co.uk/

Cluck, cluck, Jill

Almost Free Herb Garden ...

Recently suffering another birthday, one which is totally unnecessary for me to discuss numbers, I was lucky enough to be distracted by this wonderful assortment of window sill herbs from my eldest son ... What great idea ... even teenage boys could grow them [only joking, boys].

All you have to do is water the compost, sprinkle on the herbs, tip a little of the saved compost on top, put the lid on and wait.

Great for yourself [herbs at at least 70pence a packet] or a present for mums, friends, grandmas, fellas even.

Enjoy,

Jill

Barcelona ... la la la ...

Morning Ladies, Mums, Daughters, everyone who's reading ... Apologies for the lack of posts recently but I've been checking out Barcelona for you and felt it would be rude just to draw the info from the web. Cheap flights prevailed and so I decided to fly off ~ purely on business you understand, to make a quick report on the city for your benefit ...

The last time I visited Barcelona, some 15 years ago ... You were probably babes in your mother's arms / babysitting a young baby / nursing a young baby ... it seemed like a miserable, greying, industrial port and apart from the famous Cathedral, Catedral de la Santa Creu in the Gothic Area, everywhere was closed and the city felt drab.

Now, it's all changed, physically, dramatically, emotionally, party-ally:

Fly easyjet cheap flights.
Access to the city couldn't be easier. Take a few steps from the departure lounge for the Aerobus. 5.30 euros right to the centre ~ Catalunya Plaza.

There are plenty of great small hotels right in the centre of the city.

Take comfy footwear if you don't intend to spend the day sleeping off your hangover.

Stroll the buzzing narrow streets in the old part of the city. Look out for Roman remains, Medieval structures and gorgeous men [all ages apply].

Look Cool and Cultural ~ Visit the wacky Salvador Dali exhibition - in the Gothic Area. 9 euros.

Cycle along the marina / promenade / beach ... Wide promenades dotted with cocktail beach bars, cafes, restaurants. No need to cycle amongst traffic. 5 euros for 2 hours [Take ID].

Bus Top Tour - 23 euros - hop on - hop off. Visit Parks, Zoos, Gaudi exhibitions, Olympic stadia, cable car experiences, beaches ...

Shop till you drop.

Dine at less - choose from great sanwich shops for picnics on the beach, tapas everywhere, mid-price bistros or high class restaurants all at the tip of your toes ... plus the odd nightclub or two!

Party till late.

Great Buys ... Shoes - of course! Also On Trend ATM, lots of unusual designs, patterns and colourful pieces by Desigual.

* All prices approx and dated June 2011.

Enjoy, Jill

Not Sleeping Well ?

Tired in the Mornings? Teeny-Weeny bit Ratty? Not even got a Hangover but feel Lousy?

Aren't you sleeping well?

Leaving social calls till late in the evening can keep you awake ~ especially if you’ve been using a cell/mobile phone … Using mobiles can interfere with sleep patterns and cause headaches. Can they?

Dr. Bengt Arnetz from Swayne State University, Detroit, USA, states ‘We think that radio waves from your mobile phone activate your brain’s stress response system …’ The joint study also involving a team of researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden found that radiofrequency released from mobile phones appeared to cause insomnia, headaches and difficulties in concentration.

So it seems that’s why it takes longer to get to sleep ~ or contribute towards restless sleep!

* Having even one bad night’s sleep has been found to affect blood sugar levels. Apparently, there's a connection with our ability to stave off weight gain.
Oo-er, Don't like the sound of that!

So its back to the landline – ‘it’s for you / no she’s not in / she’s washing her hair tonight’ - cheaper calls, a good night's sleep and just maybe, waking up weighing a pound or two less.

Thanks to Zest and Scienceagogo for some of the info:
Zest magazine and online at www.zest.co.uk and www.scienceagogo.com

Mini Vac is King Vac ...

This is the most exciting vac I have EVER seen !

Hand-held vacuum with serious suction.





And guess what ... I found it at my daughter's house. [Well done daughter].

This space-saving little monster likes to suck up any fluffy dust that chooses to collect in corners. Try it in your hall-of-res, your bedroom, surprise your mum; the choices are endless.

Make, wattage and price to follow.

Jill

Lamb Stew ...

Question: I made a lamb stew and there was some left over. The top is covered with fat. Is it ok to eat?

Hello Daughter ~ no need to be distressed. Well done for making lamb stew ~ very impressed.

The fat in the meat will have risen to the top of the dish. I'm presuming you made the stew yesterday or the day before. So, scrape the bulk of the fat off the stew. Reheat gently. The residue of fat will melt into the stew when warming up.

Enjoy.

Jill

Something Snuggly ...

Something snuggly ... from http://www.internetgardener.co.uk/

Jill

Neat and Tidy ...

Something sensible ...

from http://www.internetgardener.co.uk/

Jill

Festival Season creeping up on us ...

Wellies for all cultures ... Street Punk Wellies ...

£21.95 from http://www.internetgardener.co.uk/

Jill

Ginger ...

Ginger ... what more is there to say?

Quite a bit actually ...
Ginger is the rhizome [rhizome is the underground stem] of the plant Zingiber officinale.

Ginger is used as a cooking spice. [We knew that]

Ginger can be used to help prevent nausea, particulary with regard to motion sickness, post-operative sickness and pregnancy.

Ginger aids digestion: it aids the absorbtion of food and eliinates gas and bloating.

Ginger stimulates the flow of saliva and gastric sectretions and can help reduce flatulence.

Ginger can be used to treat and prevent migraine headaches.

Ginger may prove to be effective for pain relief, as an anti-inflammatory eg: rheumatism.

So Ladies, lets give it up for ... Ginger !

Jill